Process of and apparatus for condensing, treating, and washing hydrocarbon vapors



Z @927. FREELAND PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING, TREATING,

AND WASHING HYDROCARBON VAPQRS Filed Sept. 9, 1921 /NVENTOR Claude L. Freeland.

ATTORNEYS W/T/VESSES ill Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE LESLIE IBEELAND, OF I BBISTOW, OKLAHOMA.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING, TREATING, AND WASHING HYDRO- CARBON VAPORS.

Application filed September 9,-1921.

My invention relates to processes and apparatus for condensing, treating and washing hydro-carbonvapors, and the purpose of my invention is the provision of a process and an apparatus for condensing crude Oll va ors.

will describe one process and one form of apparatus, each embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel. features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings Fi ure 1 is a view showing in perspective one orm of apparatus embodying my invention, I

Fi re 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectiona view of the apparatus shown in Fi re "1,

igure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, T designates a condensing tube of any suitable length havin an entrance end 15 communicating wit a pipe P for su plying crude oil vapor to the tube. The disc h collar P" and in which is slidably fitted for longitudinal adjustment a collecting plpe P that extends into the tube in the manner shown in Figure 2. The pipe P may be locked in any longitudinally adjusted position by means of a packing gland 17 which can be screwed down hard enough to firmly lock the adjustable pipe.

For introducing water into the tube T, I provide pipes W and'W' which extend into the tank at a point adjacent the entrance end 15 and have right angularly dis branch portions 20 and 21, respectlvely, which are disposed in spaced relation to the inner wall of the tube in the manner clearly shown in Figure 2. The branch pipes 20 and 21 are perforated at intervals as indicated at 20* and 21 respectively, so as to effect the discharge of water therefrom in the form of fine streams, the arrangement being such as to force the water at right angles to the tube length and cause a rota'r circulation of the water therein.

This rotary circulation or whirling motion of the water is in the direction of the discharge end 16 of.the tube and is such as to form at the axis of the whirl an opening which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the tube T and consequently with the arge end 16 of the tube carries a Serial N 0. 499,464.

shown), there ,beinga very small amount of water to be disposed of.

It is also a purpose of the invention to treat the condensate as it is formed, and for this purpose, a tank 22 is mounted in any suitable manner to communicate with the tube T, so that variable portions of a chemical C (for example, caustic soda) in the tank, may be caused to drip into the water, mingle therewith and produce its action on the condensate. -It is unnecessary to give more than the one example of the chemical to be employed, it being sufiicient to say that any one of a number of chemicalsis suitable for the purpose.

In the operatlon of the-condenser, it is adapted to be used in conjunction with a refining apparatus such as that embodied in my co-pendin application filed Oct. 1.0, 1919, Serial 0. 329,725, Patent No. 1,516,- 285 with the pipe P constituting a continuation of the vapor discharge ipe of the refining apparatus so that tiie fuel vapor discharged from the appartus is conveyed under pre:sure, because of a prior heating, axial] into the tube T. As the vapor enters t e entrance end of the tube, it pas'es' into the opening at the vortex of the whirling body of water and finally finds its way into the pipe P During its passage through the vortex the cooling properties of the water efi'ects a condensation of the vapors so that when reaching the collecting pipe P they flowofi in the form of liquid. For instance, if gasoline vapor is' to be condensed, gasoline vapor is introduced and lit) the cooling by water condenses the vapor to the water about the longitudinal axis of the lid till

ing pipe; merely liquid. The liquid being lighter than water goes through the collectin pipe to the practical exclusion of water.

t is to be particularly noted that the tube T is of uniform internal diameter through the major part of its length (see 2), thereafter flaring substantially as shown for the purpose of permitting an increase in thediameter of the vortex. This feature in conjunction with the longitudinal adjustment of the collecting pipe P permits of the condensation and collection of various grades of fuel vapors. For example, by adjusting the collecting pipe rearwardly toward the discharge end 16 from the position shown in Figure 2-, its entrance end intercepts the condensed vapors.

The entrance end of the collecting pipe P is positioned at a point within the passageway along the axis of the vortex where the end meets the crest between the straight and widest parts of the passageway or bore shown in Figure 2. In this position the condensate is gathered without skimming an undesirable amount of the water. It is only necessary that the vapor contact the wall of fluid in the passageway in order to cause condensation. The condensate will not mix with the cooling water to any appreciable degree.

From the foregoing operation it will be manifest that my apparatus involves a process of condensing hydro-carbon vapors which consists in introducing water into a tube so as to create a whirling movement of tube and in such manner that it travels longitudinally thereof to form an axial opening of increasing diameter that provides a. passageway into which said va rs are introduced, and that during trave of the vapors through the passageway they are sub'ected to the cooling action of the water to e ect a condensation of the same. Furthermore, the process includes the collecting of the condensed vapors in the vortex and at various points along its len h to allow of the collecting of condense fuel vapors of different grades.

Although I have herein shown ,and de scribed only one rocess and one form of apparatus for con ensing and collecting fuel vapors, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without de arting from the spirit of the invention or t e spirit and-scope of the appended claims.

That I claim is 1. An apparatus for condensing hydrocarbon vapors comprising a tube, pipes arranged within the tube having outlets so located as to force water into the tube at right angles to the tube length and cause a rotary circulation of the water therein, a pipe for sup lying hydro-carbon vapors to the axis of t e tube to pass through a hollow passageway formed by the whirling body of water without mingling therewith, and a collecting pipe extending into the tube and ada ted to collect the condensed vapors from t e axis of said whirl.

2. An apparatus of the character specified comprising a tube, means for spraying water into the tube so as to impart to the water a whirling movement spirally of the axis of the tube, means at one end of the tube for introducing hydro-carbon vapors into a hollow passageway formed by the whirling water, and means at the opposite end of the tube and disposed axially thereof for collectin the condensed vapors.

3. apparatus of the character specified comprising a tube, means for spraying water into the tube so as to impart to the water a whirling movement spirally of the axis of the tube, means at one end .of the tube for introducing hydro-carbon vapors into a hollow'passageway formed by the whirling water, and means at the opposite end of the tube and disposed axially thereof for collecting the condensed vapors, said last mentioned means bei adjustable longitudinally of the tube o! the purpose described.

4. An apparatus of the character de-' scribed comprising a tube having an entrance end and a discharge end, said tube having a portion increasing in diameter toward the discharge end, pipes extending into the tube adjacent the entrance end thereof and having branches disposed longitudinally within the tube and formed with perforations arranged to discharge a cooling liquidso as to import to the cooling liquid a whirling motion spirally and longitudinally of the axis of the tube, a pipe at the entrance end of the tube for introducing hydro-carbon vapors into a hollow passageway termed by the whirling liquid, and a collecting pipe at the discharge end of the tube arranged to collect the condensate from said passageway, said collecting pipe being adjustable lon itudinally of the tube for the purpose escribed.-

5. Apparatus for condensing hydrocarbon vapors comprising a container, means to introduce liquid into the container so that it takes a spiral course along the container forming a passageway, means for introducw ing vapor at one end of the container to contact with the surface of the passageway but not mingle with the liquid, and means for conducting the resulting condensate out of the other end of the container.

CLAUDE LEEiLlE FREELANDL lid 

